


Continuance

by girlfromcarolina



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Barba Returns to New York City, First Time, Getting Together, Lawyer Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., M/M, Season 21 AU, Snowed In, bearded Rafael Barba
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:42:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28396359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlfromcarolina/pseuds/girlfromcarolina
Summary: Sonny looks between Rafael, the window, and the piles of work he’d moved aside so they could eat. When it appears that he’s wavering, torn between desiring Rafael’s company and making the noble choice, Rafael makes it for him.“I’ve got nothing but time tonight, Counselor,” he says, earning another warm smile. “Put me to work.”
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 20
Kudos: 50
Collections: Barisi Holiday Exchange 2020





	Continuance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FreckledSkittles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreckledSkittles/gifts).



> Written for the 2020 Barisi Holiday exchange for FreckledSkittles! I hope you enjoy this story - I tried blending elements from your first prompt (snowed in during December, working late in the DA's office, first kiss, hooking up) with my take on what could have happened in Season 21 if Barba came back. Glad I'm getting to post this before he REALLY does come back in Season 22 (I'm just really sad that we already know he's not keeping the beard!) :P
> 
> Thanks for giving me the opportunity to write this lovely little story, and again, I really hope you like it. Merry Christmas!
> 
> _Don't mind me over here, handwaving the realistic chances of snow like this in NYC and the rules of confidentiality and evidence..._

Rafael pauses in the doorway, his hand raised and about to knock. Taking in the view, he smiles to himself before dropping his arm. Using the fact that his arrival has so far gone unnoticed, he silently appreciates the sight of Sonny Carisi in a rare, unguarded moment.

Manhattan’s newest A.D.A. has the small conference room to himself in a rare stroke of luck, papers and files arranged around him at the table, his laptop open as he works. Carisi is so engrossed in whichever case has priority right now (more than one, Rafael is sure), he hasn’t glanced up once. Rafael remembers long days that turned into late nights. Before Sex Crimes, before Brooklyn—his own days on the proving ground—working in cramped, shared offices and staying past midnight on a regular basis just to make headway on his case load.

Rafael could feel bad for Sonny, knowing that this office is a pressure cooker, but what he feels right now is closer to pride, which is simply one in a bouquet of emotions Carisi brings out in him. He could also turn around and leave with Sonny none the wiser, give himself more time to arrange his feelings into coherent thoughts. He knew they’d see one another sooner or later while Rafael was in the city (the suggestion of grabbing dinner one night came up over and over), but he didn’t expect it to be this soon, or under these circumstances in a building that holds so many memories, so much of their history.

“Rafael.”

Caught too long in his musings, Rafael looks up at the warm, pleasant sound of Sonny’s voice. He’s watching Rafael and grinning, and Rafael can’t help his next thought. _  
_

Rafael hasn’t seen Sonny except through a screen in almost a year, although the texts, phone calls, and video chats have become more frequent since Carisi was approached about making the switch from Special Victims to 1 Hogan Place.

And somewhere over the last few months, _Carisi_ turned into Sonny and _Barba_ softened to _Rafael_ as their conversations turned to more personal matters.

“Counselor,” Rafael greets him with more affection than he’s used to showing, earning an even wider smile at the title he often teases Sonny with over the phone. Secretly, he always had a fondness for hearing it from Sonny’s mouth back when he worked in this building. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too, Rafael,” Sonny says, pushing himself to his feet and stretching his back. Despite the late hour and the enormous amount of pressure he must be under, he looks _good_. Still long and lean, his form flattered by the cut of his dark gray slacks and the way his waistcoat is tailored at his waist. No jacket, and his sleeves are rolled halfway up his forearms, where Rafael’s gaze lingers momentarily. “I didn’t know you’d be coming by tonight.”

“I wanted to drop off a gift for Carmen’s baby shower,” Rafael explains, holding up a yellow bag, “but she must have already left to get ahead of the weather.”

Sonny glances out the window where the snow has begun to fall. “Right, I forgot about that.” His expression reveals a hint of concern which is outweighed by resignation at the way his night is shaping up.

“Let me guess,” Rafael says, “you’ve got enough work here to take you into the New Year?”

Sonny’s smile returns. “Something like that.”

An idea pops into Rafael’s head. “I was supposed to meet Rita for dinner, but she had to reschedule, which leaves me without dinner plans. Why don’t I grab some food for us? That way I can at least make sure you take a short break tonight, if nothing else.” He softens the suggestion by keeping his voice low and his mouth from tightening, hoping Sonny says yes. Just because he wasn’t prepared to see Sonny tonight doesn’t mean he won’t jump at the chance to spend time with him that isn’t through a screen.

“Raf—you don’t have to.”

Whether Sonny cut his name short on purpose or stumbled over his words, the sound of it settles low in Rafael’s stomach. “I realize that. Now, is the Thai place still good or would you prefer Antonio’s?”

“You’d walk to Antonio’s for me?” Sonny shakes his head in fond disbelief. “My mother would threaten never to speak to me again if she knew I was eating someone else’s pasta, but that sounds amazing right now.”

“Antonio’s it is, then. Coffee too?”

“Careful,” Sonny warns, “or you’re gonna spoil me.”

Rafael shakes his head as he steps out of the conference room, stopping to drop Carmen’s gift on her desk before heading downstairs. He doesn’t think about it as spoiling Carisi, but at the same time he wonders who’s been taking care of Sonny lately. He dials Antonio’s on the way out of the building and orders from memory (it helps that Sonny always talks about getting the same thing). As he steps into the cold air and pulls his thick coat tighter, he notices the snow is already sticking to the sidewalk. There are still plenty of cars on the road and stubborn New Yorkers making their way through the city on foot, so he thinks nothing of a pre-Christmas snowfall as he embarks on the short walk two blocks over.

The trip gives him a chance to think in ways he couldn’t while standing in the same room as Sonny. He wasn’t sure what to expect coming home to the city right before Christmas besides making time to see his mother along with Liv, Rita, and Sonny—the people who really mattered. Two years had been more than enough time to pick out those who had seen him as more than an A.D.A. or a colleague. Those who stuck by him even after…

Sonny had been the biggest shock of them all. Rafael had been scared to see him for months afterward, although he smiles in the cold air now as he remembers picking up the phone and hearing Sonny’s voice for the first time since his trial. They’d never delved too deeply into the issue—the fact that they were talking was enough for Rafael—and all Sonny would say was that he’d prayed on what happened, and that was that.

Rafael didn’t think he had any favors left with God, yet Sonny’s implied forgiveness was evidence to the contrary.

Their order is waiting at Antonio’s when Rafael arrives. He spends a moment assuring Antonio’s eldest daughter that he’s doing well and that he’ll, “make sure Mr. Carisi gets home at a reasonable time tonight.” He’s not sure he can keep that promise given the size of the stacks on the conference table, though he’ll certainly try.

Texting Sonny as he leaves the restaurant, Rafael walks back with a lightness to his steps. The snow has gone from a dusting to a light coating that hides the layer of dirt and grime that’s native to New York City streets.

Despite his new job taking him all across the country, Rafael has kept tabs on Sonny’s progress in the District Attorney’s office. Liv talks about him often (as proud as Rafael is, Liv might have him beat), and even Rita’s not above letting courthouse gossip slip into the conversation when they’re on the phone. Rafael had always hoped Carisi would follow his talents and become a prosecutor; mentoring him was something Rafael found enjoyable, even if it had been in fits and spurts. Talking to Sonny over the past few months felt easier, the reminders of his former life no longer seeming as painful. Rafael will always have regrets, but there is a fondness that can only be gained through time and distance, and helping Carisi—lending his expertise or just listening to Carisi talk his way through a legal tangle until he solves it—has been an unlooked-for pleasure.

Arriving back at 1 Hogan Place after one last stop for coffee, Rafael walks into the conference room to find Sonny clearing space on the table.

“You’re staying, right?” he asks, looking up.

Rafael nods, warmth in his chest that isn’t from the heat rattling out of the older air vents, and removes his heavy coat and cashmere scarf. With Sonny’s help, they get everything on the table. As soon as Rafael’s hands are empty, he finds himself gathered into a two-armed hug, Sonny pulling him close.

“I didn’t say it before, but it’s really good to see you too.”

Rafael smiles against Sonny’s shoulder, returning the embrace. There’s an extra weight to the hug, something that goes beyond a simple reunion. Whatever it is, it holds promise.

Sonny pulls back after a moment. “I still like the beard,” he says. “Looks even better in person.”

Rafael can’t hide the color rising in his cheeks, buhis reaction makes Sonny’s grin even brighter, so he doesn’t feel as awkward about it. As they separate to take their seats, Rafael finds his eyes drawn to the curve of Sonny’s lower back where his vest cinches. His palms ache to settle there around Sonny’s waist. Sonny catches him staring and suddenly there’s a matching blush on his face.

Good. They’re on the same page.

Still, the conversation remains casual while they eat. From discussing the snow that continues to fall outside to some of the moments from Sonny’s first months as a prosecutor that Rafael had missed.

“I mean, the state of Ohio wanted to _arrest_ me! All of us, actually. Can you believe that?” He’s laughing, and it’s one of the best sounds Rafael has heard in a long time.

“That means you’re doing your job right,” he replies, smirking and watching Sonny over the rim of his paper coffee cup.

After that, their discussion turns to Carisi’s slightly strained relationships with his former squad. 

“I see them all the time, but it’s not the same,” he’s saying, seeking Rafael’s advice, “and when I do, half the time they see me as their adversary. It’s hard to go from being a friend outside of work to being someone they unleash their frustrations on during the day.”

He doesn’t say it, but Rafael knows he’s probably talking about Rollins. Liv has been nothing but supportive according to Sonny, and Fin is too pragmatic to take Carisi’s career switch personally. 

“You’re still in their lives, but it takes time to find a good balance. Liv and I had our share of disagreements, but we always knew we were on the same team. Just don’t give up, alright?” It was only in hindsight that Rafael realized what he had with Liv and with Sonny. Relationships that could have become _more_ when he was still in this office. He doesn’t want Sonny to make the same mistakes or worse, lose the people he’s closest to. “If they respect you, things will work out. Trust me.” 

After all this time, he hopes Sonny does. He doesn’t add that he thinks the distance might be good for him and Rollins in the long run. Sonny told him about their blow up in the squadroom, something Rafael imagined was inevitable. Amanda likes Sonny best when they’re butting heads—she can’t handle someone who’s kind and considerate. Her loss could be Rafael’s gain, if he’s lucky enough to take what’s nearly in his grasp.

When the food is gone and the trash placed in the hall bin, Sonny sighs. His shoulders slump, as if the energy flowing through him over the last thirty minutes suddenly cuts off.

“I can’t tempt you into leaving all this until tomorrow, can I?” Rafael asks hopefully, wearing his most charming smile.

Sonny looks softly at him before shaking his head. “You have no idea how badly I want to say yes to that.” Rafael has an inkling, but they’re not in court so he doesn’t object.

“Then I’ll stay,” he suggests before he can think it through. “Let me help.”

“Rafael—I can’t ask you to do that.” Sonny rushes through one excuse after another: the weather, the worsening conditions, and the fact that asking Rafael to stay would be taking advantage.

“You’re not asking, I’m offering,” Rafael clarifies. The more he considers the idea, the more he realizes that there’s nowhere else he’d rather be. If he went back to the hotel, he’d spend the rest of the evening sitting alone, wishing he was back here. “Besides, I doubt I could get a cab right now,” he adds, nodding towards the windows where half an inch of snow has built up on the sill. “Better to wait until it stops.”

Sonny looks between Rafael, the window, and the piles of work he’d moved aside so they could eat. When it appears that he’s wavering, torn between desiring Rafael’s company and making the noble choice, Rafael makes it for him.

“I’ve got nothing but time tonight, Counselor,” he says, earning another warm smile. “Put me to work.”

~~~~~~~

  
Sonny’s caseload seems heavier than Rafael ever remembers having. Then again, by the time he got to Manhattan, he was no longer a junior prosecutor and there were attorneys under him to do a lot of the legwork. Despite the number of cases he’s currently responsible for, Sonny is well-informed on all of them, answering Rafael’s questions when they come up.

They work well together, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, although it’s nice to see that their synergy wasn’t just a fond figment of Rafael’s imagination. They go back and forth working their way through one pile after another. It’s not _fun_ by any definition, yet Rafael finds he’s enjoying himself. The work brings with it a nostalgic sense of accomplishment he hasn’t felt in a while, and the idea that he’s helping Sonny, even in such a small way, steals his remaining reservations.

It’s not without its perks either. Working so closely together, Sonny is constantly leaning into Rafael’s space to show him something or ask a question. He touches Rafael’s hand or wrist to get his attention. There are times when Rafael feels Sonny’s eyes on him and moments when he catches himself staring at the back of Sonny’s neck where his silver hair is ruffled at the nape, or at Sonny’s pursed lips when he’s concentrating on a deposition.

A few weeks ago, when Rafael was on the phone with Liv late one night chatting their way through respective bottles of wine, the subject of Vanessa Hadid came up. Rafael knew her only by reputation and what he’d read in press releases since her appointment. At the time, Rafael shared Liv’s conclusion that Hadid underestimated Carisi to her own disadvantage. He might be new to the D.A.’s office yet he’s capable of so much—as driven as Rafael had been but without the ego that sometimes got the better of him.

The longer the night goes on, the clearer it becomes that Sonny is far from being _green_. Even at SVU, he had studied Rafael’s cases in his spare time, helping when he could even when he wasn’t officially shadowing Barba. To a lesser extent, Carisi had done the same thing with Stone, a fact which angered Rafael at the time and causes a spark of jealousy now that’s quickly smothered because he’s the one who’s _still here_ at Sonny’s side. That’s twice now that he’s beaten Peter Stone, he thinks smugly.

When the coffee runs out, Sonny volunteers to make another pot in the kitchenette down the hall, leaving Rafael to stretch and yawn.

Feeling the urge to move, he stands and crosses to the windows. Outside, the city still shines under a thickening blanket of white. Rafael began to take this view for granted towards the end of his time in this office, much in the same way he’d taken certain relationships for granted: those he should have invested more into.

There’s no time like the present to change that, he thinks as Sonny returns with their refilled paper cups, the aroma reaching Rafael at the window.

“It’s really coming down out there.” Sonny is standing behind him, and Rafael can sense each and every one of the few inches that separate them. “Think you’d even be able to get a car right now?”

Rafael sighs. “Probably not.”

“I guess you’re stuck here with me,” Sonny says softly. “Sorry about that.”

Rafael smiles at their slightly blurry reflection in the glass, knowing Sonny can see his expression. “I’m not.”

There must be something in his tone—even Rafael isn’t sure whether or not it’s intentional—that gets through to Sonny. He feels a gentle grip on his upper arms and suddenly Sonny is leaning into him, his chest to Rafael’s back, and releasing a long, shaking exhale. It’s an uncharacteristic display of nervousness from Sonny, though he’s certainly not alone in that. Rafael is struggling to keep his emotions from spilling over at the tender touch that holds so much potential.

“I’m glad you’re here tonight,” Sonny whispers. “I know we talked about getting dinner together while you were here, but by then I might have talked myself out of saying something. I can be pretty convincing,” he adds wryly.

“So I’ve noticed.” Rafael is still grinning. Neither of them has confessed to specific feelings, yet there’s an unmistakable charge in the room. Any touch shared between them in the past was always significant: rare opportunities to show how far their professional relationship had come. 

Rafael turns around. He doesn’t want a pale, distorted reflection. He wants the real thing. Dancing blue eyes and an expressive mouth. Sonny’s hands drop to his sides, but they’re standing close enough that Rafael doesn’t mind the loss.

“Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I was always afraid you weren’t going to come back,” Sonny admits, “or that even if you did, it wouldn’t be like it was.”

“Things can’t be the same as they were before,” Rafael points out carefully, kindly. “But we’re closer now, aren’t we?”

Emboldened, he reaches for one of Sonny’s hands and draws it slowly, deliberately to his lips. A gesture that cannot be misread. Rafael meets Sonny’s eyes as he brushes his lips carefully across Sonny’s knuckles and lays a faint kiss on the back of his hand.

“We are, and you have no idea how grateful I am for that.” Sonny’s shoulders slump a fraction. “I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through the last few months without you.”

“You would have been fine,” Rafael assures him. “You’re good at this, Sonny. I know I used to tease you, but I started to see your potential years ago,” he adds, thinking back to the interview he arranged for Carisi. He never admitted it to anyone, but he never would have done that if he wasn’t confident in Carisi’s abilities.

“Nice to hear you have so much faith in me.” Sonny’s other hand is rubbing up and down Rafael’s arm over his cashmere sweater. The touch is comforting and full of affection. “You were always pushing me to be better, to think like a lawyer even when I chose to stay a detective.”

“Not everything can be taught. The way you look at the law, the same intuition that made you a great detective...you brought that all with you.” Rafael can afford to be generous with his praise. His reputation is no longer on the line, and he understands that Sonny not only needs, but deserves it. “You’re going to do so well here.”

Sonny sighs, bringing an attractive flush to his cheeks. “If they ever let me try an actual case…”

Rafael grins. “It’ll come. And even if I’m not in the city when it happens, I’ll be waiting to hear all about your first win.”

He isn’t surprised when Sonny leans forward to kiss him. He expected it eventually, perhaps after a nice dinner, a bit of well-earned romance after all this time, yet this moment feels equally, if not more, intimate. The two of them alone in the building, the world left outside, muffled and cold, but it’s warm in here. Drawn against Sonny, wrapped in each other’s arms, Rafael discovers that Sonny is as consummate with his kisses as he is with everything else. Passionate, intuitive, and careful until Rafael moans against his lips. Once that sound escapes, the kiss turns heated as Sonny backs him against the wall, trapping him in a very desirable position.

Rafael’s hands slip too-easily down the silky back of Sonny’s vest to hold him by the waist, aroused by the way the difference in their heights brings their bodies together, the slight way that Sonny leans over him, Rafael guiding him even closer until their thighs are rubbing. One of Sonny’s hands curves around the side of his neck, rubbing Rafael’s jaw with his thumb.

Time slips by as they stand there learning and possessing one another. Every push forward, each time the kiss turns slow and gentle, Rafael wishes he could stay here indefinitely. Being together feels like the culmination of years of inching towards one another: inevitable and _right_. If Rafael didn’t care about the consequences, he would thread his fingers through Sonny’s hair and finally feel how soft it is. He’d get his mouth on Sonny’s throat and follow it down to his collarbones and then even lower. He would lock the door and thoroughly ruin this conference room.

He wants to, but he can’t. Dragging himself away from Sonny’s mouth is difficult but necessary, though he has a strong feeling that their night won’t end here.

“Normally I’d say let’s get out of here,” Sonny tells him, his voice rough and low. The sound sends a shiver running through Rafael’s body; he’s desperate to hear that voice scratchy and strained from exertion and pleasure. 

“But you’re not done yet,” Rafael finishes, staring up into Sonny’s blue, _blue_ eyes. “Believe me, I understand.”

In that moment, Sonny kisses him again, and Rafael leans up into it eagerly. Whether the kiss is for his understanding or just _because_ , he doesn’t mind. He’ll welcome them for any reason, now or in the future. And the notion that this could be their future sends a wave of warmth rushing throughout Rafael’s body.

Sonny pulls back far enough to whisper. “Maybe I could come in early tomorrow morning.” He throws out options like he’s trying to negotiate a plea. “I don’t have anything until nine. I could get a few hours of work in before—”

Rafael grabs Sonny by his tie and drags him down, hushing him with a kiss of his own that lands at the corner of his mouth. His voice is soft when he says, “Or we can stay for another hour, hope that the snow lets up, and then we can try to go back to my hotel.”

Sonny looks at him with a raised brow. “Your hotel?”

“It’s closer than your apartment, and I know you probably keep a spare suit in your car.”

“Two actually.” Sonny is blushing. Rafael wants to say to hell with the additional hour and drag him out of here now so that he can discover just how far down that pink flush goes. “You’d want that?”

Rafael still has Sonny’s tie wrapped around his hand, their faces only a few inches apart. He can see the emotions pass through Sonny’s eyes, positive that his own are on display. With Sonny, he wears no disguise.

“You might need the rest,” is what he says, though the implication is heavy in the air.

The offer may be genuine, but _rest_ is not all Rafael has planned if they manage to get out of here before midnight. They can start with a nightcap—something warm and smooth to burn away the chill—followed by a massage, perhaps, working Sonny’s neck and shoulders until he’s loose and purring. And while falling asleep beside Sonny is at the top of his wish list this holiday, having Sonny all to himself in the privacy of his hotel room is a temptation he won’t be able to resist.

“You’ve got a deal, Counselor.” Sonny’s teasing tone makes Rafael laugh, and just like that he’s playfully pushing Sonny away.

“Let’s get to work then, _Counselor_ ,” he tosses back, unresisting when Sonny reaches for his hand and draws him in for a brief, heated kiss that forces Rafael to reconsider whether or not he’ll be able to keep his hands off Carisi for the next hour.

Jury’s definitely still out on that one.

~~~~~~~

  
When Rafael wakes up, Sonny is asleep beside him. He’s never seen him appear so relaxed and unburdened, his long limbs thrown across the bed and Rafael’s chest.

It’s too early to get up and start moving, so Rafael lies comfortably entwined and lets his thoughts drift back to last night and all the pleasant memories it has given him. Moments that will hopefully be repeated many times over in the days, weeks, months, and (if he’s very lucky) years to come. Sonny’s mouth and hands were more talented than he’d ever dreamed; Rafael followed suit with a few tricks he kept up his sleeve. Trading orgasms with a passion Rafael was long behind him. Sonny brings out the best in him—Rafael was delighted to discover that that went beyond the courtroom.

And he may very well be rushing things, jumping ahead when they’ve only just fallen into bed together, but Rafael has been thinking about this for years. Early desires became fantasies he never imagined could turn into reality. There was a time when he thought Sonny Carisi would be another in a long list of regrets he took with him when he left the D.A.’s office. In this case, time and distance eventually served to strengthen their connection, although Rafael hopes the distance will shrink now that he has a compelling reason to stay in the city as much as possible.

Perhaps now might be a good time to consider a job with less travel; offers have certainly been made.

It won’t be easy—nothing worthwhile is ever straightforward—but Rafael has a feeling that the worst of their struggles are behind them.

“You’re thinking awfully hard over there. Should I be worried?”

Rafael rolls his head to the side to find Sonny smiling at him and blinking sleep out of his eyes. “All good things, I promise.”

Sonny hums, tucking himself closer to Rafael. “Oh yeah? Guess I can think of a few pretty good things that happened last night too.”

A moment of comfortable silence follows, both reliving moments from the night before. Sonny’s hand is stroking Rafael’s chest innocently, as if he didn’t lay claim to every inch of Rafael’s skin with his lips once they were naked and in bed, biting across his nipples with gentle teeth.

Sonny eventually speaks up, as if he’s been mentally weighing his words. “Last night wasn’t casual for me, Rafael.”

He feels a smile tugging at his lips. “I would hope not.” Rafael had the same feeling; he wouldn’t get on his knees for just anyone.

“I want this,” Sonny continues, “and if you want this too, then we’re smart enough to figure something out.”

“You think so?”

Sonny looks up and Rafael can see the flicker of panic in his eyes before he realizes that Rafael is lazily teasing him. He retaliates quickly, rising up and kissing Rafael before he can say anything else.

Rafael’s body comes fully awake in a matter of seconds. They’re both naked beneath the hotel’s silky sheets, legs folding smoothly together as they fall into each other again. Sonny must have woken up half-hard, but it doesn’t take Rafael long to catch up, enjoying sweet kisses that turn lengthy and possessive as their hips line up.

Ten minutes later, they’re panting as they come down from their climaxes, sweaty and smiling. Sonny is twice as affectionate when he’s sated, nuzzling against Rafael’s throat and jaw. His beard must be scratching Sonny’s skin, but he’s obviously enjoying the texture.

Rafael almost falls asleep in the afterglow, only forced out of bed by necessity. They each take a turn in the hotel suite’s bathroom, donning one of the terry cloth robes, and Rafael uses the opportunity to check his phone.

“Apparently it started to snow again in the middle of the night,” Rafael remarks, drawing an interested look from Sonny as he emerges from the bathroom pulling on the second robe. They’d been fortunate enough to make their escape from 1 Hogan Place during a break in the snow, Sonny’s SUV well-equipped to navigate the rare snow accumulation.

“Really?” Sonny picks up his briefcase and pulls out his own phone. “Huh, looks like my meetings have all been pushed back to this afternoon.”

Rafael looks up. The expression on Sonny’s face is a mixture of confusion and delight. “Mine have been cancelled. I think it’s a mess out there.”

They both direct their gazes towards the window where the thick curtains are pulled tight in front of the glass, blocking their view of the conditions outside. Now that Rafael thinks about it, the sounds of the city are incredibly muffled this morning—Manhattan is always buzzing, even this early—but he chalked it up to the quality of his hotel room.

“I think we’ve been granted a continuance.”

Sonny grins. “We’ve earned it, haven’t we?”

In lieu of an answer, Rafael makes his way back to the bed, grabbing the ties on Sonny’s robe and pulling him along. There’s laughter in his ears and warmth in his heart, and for the first time in years, Rafael knows he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

FIN.

**Author's Note:**

> Always happy to meet other Barisi fans! glitterstorm (Twitter) and hurricanekelleigh (Tumblr) are my usual haunts.


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